Orthopedic apparatus.



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APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 26, 1907.

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ORTHOPEDIO APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED unzs, 1907.

FRITZ JAOOBSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ORTHOPEDIC APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed January 26, 1907. Serial No. 354,278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRITZ JACOBSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, Kings county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Orthopedic Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to orthopedic apparatus and more particularly to that class of orthopedic apparatus intended for use in reducing spinal curvature and also for other purposes, and my invention consists of a platform consisting of a bed, mattress or other horizontal support, combined with cords, weights and guide pulleys, s0 arranged as to permit a yielding outward tension to be applied to the arms, legs, shoulders and neck of a patient, such parts being hereinafter referred to as members of the body, as fully set forth hereinafter, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an orthopedic apparatus embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 is a plan; and Figs. 3, 45, 5 and 6 are enlarged details of different parts of the apparatus.

The apparatus has a support or platform A for the patient, which is a suitable bed or mattress supported by a frame B, which may be of any suitable character, but which as shown is a folding frame to which are detachably connected legs or supports O, O, and to which is hinged at x a head frame D. These parts may be fixed or movable, but as shown the legs C are provided with suitable casters. It will of course be recognized that the bed or platform may in some cases be supported I upon fixed supports and that the guide pulleys hereinafter referred to may also be upon fixed supports.

In the construction shown there is a series of cords, each of which passes around guide pulleys and has connected at one end a weight and at the other a hook or other attachment 1 adapted to engage an eye upon a band E for attachment to one of the members of the patient, the embodiment of the invention illustrated being adapted to simultaneously apply tension to the neck, shoul ders, arms and legs of a patient, or to any one or more of said members independently. The guide pulleys are so suitably arranged as to allow a proper length of each cord between the member to which it is attached and the adjacent guide pulley, whereby, while the Weight is constantly upon the said cord and said member, the latter can be moved to any necessary or desired extent without draft upon the cord at too sharp an angle.

In the construction shown there are cords 2 adapted for attachment to bands that are connected to each of the feet, if tension is to be applied to the legs, cords 3 adapted for attachment with bands that are connected with each of the hands, if tension is to be applied to the arms, cords 4 adapted for attachment to bands through which the patients arms extend, said bands passing beneath the arm pits, if tension is to be applied to the shoulders and two cords 5, 5 adapted for attachment to opposite sides of the band which is placed about the neck and bears beneath the chin of the patient, if tension is to be applied to the neck.

In order to permit the desired freedom of movement of the members of the body, there must be a certain length of cord between its point of attachment with the member, and the first guide pulley, and from the latter the cord passes through guide pulleys extending to a suitable elevated position to permit the cord to hang therefrom and support a Weight and allow the latter to move up and down to the desired extent, as the cord is drawn upon from the movements of the patient. As shown, each of the cords 2 passes around a pulley 6 in a block 7, which is attached to a pivot or rod 8 sliding in bearings on the foot board 9 so that it may be elevated to the eX-' tent required by the thickness of the mattress, and so that it may swing to different positions as the cord is drawn to one side or the other, and the pin 8 is hollow to permit the cord to pass downward through the same,

beneath the guide pulley 12, swinging upon a pin passing through a cross-bar 13 of the frame, and beneath another guide pulley 14 swinging upon a pin passing through a cross bar 15 of the frame, and upward over a guide pulley 16 supported from a cross-bar 27 at the top of the head frame D, and thence downward and connected to a sectional weight 17.

The requisite length of cord between the hand bands and the first guide pulleys 18 is secured by supporting said guide pulleys pivotally upon brackets 19, each pivoted at y, Fig. 3, to the side of the frame so that it may be swung inward for transportation, or outward as shown, being seoured in this position by means of a pin or stud 2O upon a spring plate 21, which stud passes into an opening in the bracket. Each bracket also carries a pivoted pulley 22, beneath which the cord 3 passes from a pulley 18, thence back beneath the pulley 14 u on a cross bar 30 and upward over a pu ey hanging from the crossbar 27 of the head frame, and downward to a sectional weight 17. Each cord 4 and each cord 5 passes beneath a pulley 24 pivotally connected with a cross bar 23 of the head frame and up over a pulley supported by the cross-bar 27 and to one of the sectional weights 25.

While solid weights of the proper proportion may be em loyed, I prefer to make the weights sectiona as shown, each weight consisting of a series of slotted disks supported by a central hooked rod, inasmuch as it is desirable from time to time to change the weights, and as it is also desirable that the total sum of the weights upon the cords 4 and 5 shall equal the total sum of the weights upon the cords 2, 2, so that the force tending to draw the body in one direction shall be counterbalanced in the other direction.

It will be seen by the construction described, all of the members of the body are put under tension or stress tending to draw them outward, and I have found by practical experience that by subjecting the body of the patient to this character of stress for sev eral hours daily or at night during sleep, while the body is in a horizontal position, so

' that each member can yield readily to the tension put upon it, the straightening of the spine and reduction of curvatures can be much more readily accomplished than when the body is held in an upward or recumbent position, while discomfort to the patient is avoided. ent members under tension proves to result in an increased circulation, which is extremely beneficial under many conditions,

' while it will be seen that by providing a substantial length of cord between the attachment to each member and the adjacent pulley, perfect freedom of movement of each of -the members is allowed so that the patient can from time to time change the position of any of the members, and as a result the treatment is accomplished with practically no discomfort. Further, it will be seen that the amount of tension upon each of the members may be varied readilyfrom time to time according to circumstances, and that by the use of bands or a pliances of proper shape, the attachment 0 the cord to each member may be made without interfering with the circulation. I donot here describe the particular details of construction of these attachments as they relate to a difierent subject matter.

In order to prevent the discomfort that would arise in the treatment of nervous diseases from noise resultin from the rattling of the swinging pulleys, inter )ose between the attachments of the said pu eys, and the Further, the placing of the differarts to which they are connected, rubber bearings 26. Thus, as shown, a bolt 28 passes through 'each (pulley block and through washers 29 an through a perforated rubber bearing 26 interposed between the washers and the bolt and the part to which the pulley is pivotally connected.

It will be evident, however, that this arrangement of interposed buffer may be varied according to circumstances.

In order to prevent the weights horn rest.- ing upon the floor when the apparatus is not in use, and when it is being moved from place to place, I provide each cord with a stop 39 in the form of a knot or block or ring which will make contact with the guide pulley before the weight can touch the floor, thereby supporting it in its elevated position.

While I have described a particular arrangement of frame and pulley supports, it 5 will be evident that these parts may be var1 ously constructed so as to support the pulleys in their proper position and guide the cords as may be required.

It will be seen that the pins 8 carrying the pulley 6 may be raised to any extent required to carry the pulleys above the platform or bed. In order to hold the clothing above the patient and permit the freedom of movement of the lower limbs without exposing the patient, the foot board 9 is raised to the necessary height and a spring clamp 34 is arranged at the outside so as to clamp the bed clothing which is drawn over the edge of the foot board.

I do not here claim the construction of the frame supporting the platform as it constitutes a different subject matter.

Without limiting myself to the particular construction and arrangement of parts de- 05 scribed, I claim as my invention:

1. The within described orthopedic appa ratus, consisting of a platform for the sup- I port of the patient, and means for simultaneously applying yielding tension to difler- 1 ent parts of the patient tending to draw said parts outward from the body while permitting the independent lateral, vertical and longitudinal movements of each part under substantially uniform tension on said part. 5

2. The combination in an orthopedic apparatus of a platform for the support of the pal tient, a series of cords, weights attached thereto, guide pulleys to direct the cords outward from the patient, and means for 20 connecting each cord with an independent part of the body, all arranged to secure inde pendent yielding and substantially uniform tensions on the difierent parts while permitting the free independent movement of each part.

3. The combination with a platform for the support of the patient, of a series of independent tension devices and means for connecting them with different parts of the pa- 13o tient, said tension devices arranged to permit the free movements of the individual parts to which they are attached independently of the other parts.

4. In an orthopedic apparatus, a support for the body of a patient, and a plurality of independent tension devices and means for applying each to a separate part of the patient and constructed to permit the tension of each device to be varied without affecting that of the other devices.

5. The herein described orthopedic apparatus consisting of a platform for the support of the patient, and means for applying a constant tension to the arms, legs, and shoulders of the patient, or to any of said members, without interfering with the free movement of the member or members to which the tension is applied.

6. The combination with a platform for the support of a patient, of cords, devices for attaching the cords at one end to members of the patient, guide pulleys for directing the cords to an elevated position, and weights hanging from the pendent ends of the cords, the parts arranged to permit the free movement of the members to which the cords are attached.

7. The combination of a frame supporting a platform, of brackets extending outward from the frame and supporting guide pulleys, cords passing from said pulleys adapted for attachment to the arms of the patient, other guide pulleys arranged to direct the cords to an elevated position, and weights upon the pendent ends of the cords.

8. The combination with a platform for supporting the body of the patient, of guide pulleys at the upper end of the platform, a

I band adapted for attachment to the head of the patient, cords passing from said guide pulleys to the other guide pulleys at an elevated position, Weights attached to the pendent ends of the cords, other cords adapted for attachment to the feet of the patient, guide pulleys arranged at the lower end of the platform around which saidlatter cords pass, other guide pulleys directing the cords to an elevated position, and weights attached to the pendent ends of said cords.

9. The combination with the platform, cords, and weights, of guide pulleys, supports therefor, and rubber bearings between the said supports and the guide pulleys for the purpose described' In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRITZ JAOOBSON.

Witnesses:

A. P. SMITH, JNo. A. BRIGG. 

